Advocates from all areas of interest pooled their collective audiences and inspired people to get involved in shutting down the Keystone Pipeline expansion that was slated to run directly through America’s Heartland. On January 18, 2012 President Obama told Canada that America wasn’t for sale.

This result was in no small part due to advocacy. Obama made it clear when he went into office that he expected people to keep the pressure on him about clean energy. Advocates submitted millions of signatures on well-written petitions from people who were against the expansion, in addition to thousands of phone calls.

In no way is it an overstatement to say that one of the greatest ecological disasters was avoided.

Animal Life was tireless in keeping readers motivated. Sometimes hard news can just be too much to take, but the readership kept it going strong by forwarding information, posting Animal Life articles to their Facebook accounts, and signing the many petitions listed in this blog space to stop the expansion.

To all readers, a well earned Thank You! Your advocacy made it possible. Your determination made it a reality and that was no small feat! Only 6 months ago people were saying Keystone was all but a done deal. What you do matters. How you do it matters.

How to Get Involved:There are countless ways to show your support for the animal kingdom. Find a way that works best for you. Here are some ideas.

Creativity Counts!

This video is one of the most compelling works of visual advocacy I’ve seen to date. It is well crafted, factual, and simply stated. If you enjoy creating videos you have a fantastic skill to benefit the animal kingdom.

This artist did a remarkable job depicting the ironic struggle between man and the animal kingdom. This particular piece of artwork comes fromCG Society.

Writing!
The key to successful writing is to clearly articulate the value of an informed perspective. When this skill is harnessed one can write petitions, governments, articles, and blogs with results. There are countless avenues to express well-written informed perspectives. However, I’ll be the bad guy here and say “No” ranting doesn’t count, as it is ineffective for productive advocacy.

Online Advocate Communities and Petition Sites:

Care2 NetworkThis network is principally setup for activists and advocates. There are some exceptions, as is the case with any online community. Find petitions easily in the search bar, read articles, post comments, and earn credits towards your favorite charities.